ceremony

August 2013: Jenae Jackson-West!

We’d like to congratulate Jenae on her recent marriage and are excited to feature her this month as our Bride of the Month! Jenae has such a down to earth personality and it shows from her invitations to all the details that brought her dream wedding to life.

Interviewer: Now that your big day is all through, have you recuperated?Jenae: Jason (my husband) and I moved to Texas for the summer less than a week after we got married with our honeymoon in between. It was very exciting but I still don’t know how we did it. Now that things are slowing down and we are getting into our life together I am definitely recuperating. I do have some days when I wake up in the morning and my heart is racing because I think I forgot to call the caterers, check my email, or make some appointment, so it might be a few more weeks before I can totally get the wedding planning out of my head!

Interviewer: We felt that the striking grey ink paired with the soft green you chose for your invitation was so complimentary and we especially liked the envelope wrapping. Tell me about the process you went through in dreaming up your invitations. Where did you get your inspiration from and how did you decide on what your invitations would look like?Jenae: I knew I wanted something that people would remember, something that would catch their attention right from the start, but not because it was bold or brightly colored. I have always been a girl that loves the natural beauty of the outdoors, which is what inspired my entire wedding. With that in mind I knew for the most part the colors of ink I would want to use and what kind of paper. It was working with Ann through the design process that brought all my ideas together. Once we got down to my final three proofs, it was an easy decision because we had created exactly what I wanted.

Interviewer: What is your favorite part of your invitations?Jenae: I loved my envelopes. I loved how it caught my guests’ attention right when they opened their mailbox. The envelopes definitely expressed the theme of my wedding before they even opened it by making a subtle statement. The way the invitation was held together with the graphite pocket envelope as well made it very fun to unwrap and unfold.

Interviewer: What feature of your invitations have the most people complimented you on and did anyone mention the unique look of your envelopes?Jenae: Several people complimented me on how well the theme flowed through out the entire invitation. From the envelope, to the main invitation, to insert cards, the invitations really did express the garden feel of my wedding. Many guests told me that they were the prettiest invitations they had ever received. One of my guests told me that she had given the invitation to her daughter to hold on to as an example for when her little girls plan their weddings.

Interviewer: Have you taken any elements from your invitation to use throughout your wedding decor?Jenae: Yes, my mother and I made a rosemary/peppermint lip balm as wedding favors for our wedding guests. The labels, which we placed on the tins, included the same monogram, date, and leaf design that was on the monogram cards that we had attached to the graphite pocket envelopes. I have also noticed as I look back on my invitations, that the flower image that we used throughout the invitation was very similar to the flowers and greenery I had in my bouquet as well as the other arrangements my florist put together.

Interviewer: Do you feel that your invitations set the tone for your event?Jenae: Very much so. I feel like before people came to our wedding they had an idea as to what to except, that it would be very natural looking and have a garden feel that definitely came across in the design of my invitations.

Interviewer: What advice would you give to brides who are looking to gather inspiration for their wedding invitations?Jenae: Look at your entire wedding as a whole. You want all of the little details and pieces of your wedding to fit together and your invitations are what your guests are going to be seeing first. Make your guests anticipate what your upcoming wedding events might be like.

Interviewer: Is there a lesson you learned through your creative process in dreaming up your invitations you’d like to share?Jenae: Create something that you love and feel expresses you as a couple. Don’t settle for something less than what you have in mind because you think it isn’t an option or possible.

Interviewer: How was your experience with Ann Elizabeth?Jenae: I absolutely loved working with Ann and Ruth! I remember telling my mom as we left our first consult that I wanted to work at Ann Elizabeth’s or start a business like it because it was so much fun! I had checked a couple other invitation places before I went to Ann Elizabeth and always felt restricted. As I went through all the possibilities and production process with Ann, she had a way of creating and putting together what I had envisioned. Ann and I were able to create something that not only expressed the theme of my wedding, but me and my style as well.

Interviewer: Jenae thank you for taking the time to talk with us and share the details of your wedding!

See something above that you've absolutely got to have for your wedding? We're making it easy for you. Below is a list of Jenae’s vendors: